Destiny
by Aki Kaede
Summary: Years have passed after the second war. Athrun and Cagalli, unconsciously accepting their altered destinies, are living their lives without each other. Will a night of drinks change all that and allow destiny to bring them together again? AsuCaga Complete
1. Melody of The Night

Author's notes: Finally, I have a new story up!

Sorry I took so long. A month has lasped since the end of my school term. However, just look at the word count and you will know why it took so long for me to update! This is the longest single chapter/fic to date, even longer than **Vow**.

This would be a twoshot, a small deviation from my usual oneshots. For my multi-chaptered fics, I'm very sorry to all my readers who are waiting for updates. I want to finish this bunch of AsuCaga oneshots before I continue my other stories. So very sorry to all who are waiting for the updates!

This fic contains a very slight mature theme. Be warned!

Enjoy this fic and please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny or any of its characters.

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Melody of The Night

A relaxing tune wafted in the air, the crisp and melodious voice of the male singer, accompanied by his fellow band mates on the instruments, crafted a soothing song. Chatters could sometimes be heard above the music, but the noise levels were not excessive. Quiet yet lively, that was what this pub was all about.

The pub suited Athrun just fine. The jazz beats that engulfed it had no hint of the other noisy pubs which drowned their patrons in remixed popular music. It catered mainly to people on the higher class, and therefore tended to be more on the pricey side. In return, all employees abided by a strict confidentiality policy. Needless to say, security was tight to prevent the paparazzi from getting their scoop. Thus, it was not uncommon to see influential business people or famous artistes make their way here for an undisturbed drink or get together. Athrun, being the top Commander of ZAFT stationed in Orb, fell into this category. He frequented the pub, enjoying the company of no one and the luxury of not being mobbed by fangirls while enjoying an after-work alcohol boost. There was also no where he could go after work. Crowds did not top his list of favourites, plus he needed something to take his mind off the cold and lonely air at home.

Cold and lonely.

Athrun drank slowly from his old fashioned glass, containing a liquid which resembled water. Their contents however, were vastly different. It was his usual drink, vodka on the rocks, with an alcohol content of almost 40 percent. His orders always passed the twenty mark; he had no problems staying sober, pretty much unlike Yzak, his designated drinking partner.

Yzak, although stationed in Gibraltar, had to visit Orb often on work-related issues. And almost every time, he would be persuaded, or more often, tricked into having a drink with Athrun. Soon it became a habit, and the two, though not the best of friends, became drinking partners. Athrun never admitted it, but he always wanted someone to drink with him. Kira was totally out of the question; he was a teetotaller. Dearka could only make occasional visits to Orb and therefore the next best person left would be Yzak. Not that he had a choice anyway. One of the reasons the older male consented to drinking with him however, was due to the need to inflate his ego. He knew his silver-haired compatriot bore a grudge against him about never being able to win him in many areas. Athrun pretended to be drunk many a times which delighted Yzak. He thought he had finally achieved a victory against him. It worked just fine for Athrun as what he really needed was not a drinking partner but a person who would listen to him pour out his woes in a drunken stupor. It mattered not to him that all of it would not be remembered the very next day. In fact, he wanted it to be that way. Athrun was a very proud person and never wanted to betray any form of weakness. The drunken pretence was his only outlet and it was just as convenient. He could deny anything the next day and blame everything on the alcohol. Yzak however, never questioned Athrun about anything. It was also strange that he never noticed how he would end up in his apartment, a floor below Athrun's flat after being knocked out cold in the drinking session, with the blue-haired Coordinator supposedly drunk too.

Yzak had never been a good confidant, although he was definitely a good listener. He produced the sharpest jabs with his words and his temper was something else altogether. However he knew a lot, much more than Athrun could imagine. There were double meanings in his words, and he was left pondering many times not only on the hidden connotations, but also on how much he actually knew.

The heat travelling down Athrun's throat stopped at his abdomen, before gradually spreading to other areas of his body. He relished the fire, but knew it was a long way before it could numb his brain. He gestured for seconds which was promptly responded to by the bartender. It was at this time he felt warmth beside him.

_"Am I going to be picked up again?" _was the thought crossing Athrun's mind. His memory flew back to the days where he had recently discovered the pub, and was a new face around there. Women, attractive by a normal man's standard, approached him casually. It was for a one night stand or a lasting relationship, Athrun never knew, for he politely rejected every one of them who came swaying his way. That was a mistake, a terrible mistake, and it was only until Yzak came along that he realised he was nothing but an amateur.

Yzak snubbed the women by rudely ignoring them. They were of course, greatly offended and the pair was left in peace for a few days. After the few days however, women came flocking back, dazzled by their cold exterior. It was also around this time Athrun recognised Yzak as his comrade at the amateur levels when it came to the skill of not getting picked up. He thought he had risen up the ranks when he scared the ladies off, feigning as a homosexual couple, albeit to the disgust and horror of the sapphire-eyed Coordinator. The tactic worked, but only for a few days after which homosexual males came knocking on their doors. Even a few women, bedazzled by the sight of a handsome gay couple, lingered around them. The problem was finally solved by Yzak, who simply barked at them to get lost and that they were straight and everything. It worked perfectly and from then onwards, none of them were ever bothered by women, gay men, and straight men alike. Yzak chided Athrun of trying to be Mr. Nice Guy and he did not rebut his statement, for it was partly true. It was probably one of the times Athrun admitted Yzak to being superior, although he never betrayed his thoughts by even a single bit.

Athrun turned to his side where he felt the warmth was and opened his mouth to say something, but not a single sound was able to be emitted. Instead, his emerald eyes opened as wide as saucers and his mouth was left gaping.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"Cagalli…" Athrun let out, the surprise and shock he felt evident on his features.

Cagalli cast a glance at Athrun, and as she did, light reflected off her amber eyes which made him certain he was not looking at a fragment of his imagination again.

"The surprise is greater on my side." Athrun regained his composure quickly, secretly grateful for his years in the military. He noticed Cagalli raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm a regular."

"I see." Cagalli gave a little laugh and which drowned the jazz music out of Athrun's ears. She then turned her attention towards the bartender, who stood politely in front of her, waiting for their conversation to end before taking down her order.

"An apple martini." She gave her order to the bartender who took care of it immediately. "So this is your favourite haunt then. I guess I got lucky."

_"Haunt?"_ Athrun thought. _"What a great word to use."_ He studied the blond woman next to him, quietly sipping her martini. Did she know she haunted his dreams every single night? Did she know he felt her ghosts everywhere in his empty apartment?

"What are you doing here?" Athrun asked, breaking the ice.

"To come for a drink. Isn't that pretty obvious?" Cagalli answered with some light sarcasm which Athrun knew and took as a joke. She smiled at him, seeing his furrowed brow, not realising it was an act put up by him. "I wanted to unwind a bit. It's not everyday I can have cocktails of my choice at my own freedom. The balls and everything, you can't just drink to your heart's content can you?"

"And seeing you here, I can be sure there's someone to send me home if I get drunk!" Cagalli added, her laughter tickling Athrun's senses.

Athrun managed a chuckle at her comment. All this while, his eyes could not help but dart towards the blonde, who was shining so vibrantly that it blinded him. She adorned a tube dress, dyed a dark royal purple and embroidered with sequins of a similar shade. Overpowering herself with perfume was not something she would do, but his sharp Coordinator nose quickly picked up the feminine scent of lily mixed with her own, which tickled his senses and somehow or other, made her more alluring to him than before. He watched silently as she sipped from her glass, her lips pink and full. The martini travelled down from her mouth to her throat, and he found himself interested in its path. It went down her throat, where any other movement became invisible as his eyes reached her exposed shoulders and collar bone. He did what any normal man would do when a pretty lady was in their sight: ogle. Athrun did it discreetly of course, and it was not difficult for him. Stealth was a useful and mandatory skill in the military, especially if you were a part of the elite.

The tube dress Cagalli wore accentuated her curves perfectly. It was flattering on her, and showed off all the femininity she possessed. The dress was slightly above her knee, but was pulled farther back as she sat down, revealing her soft, slender legs. Athrun knew she had no intention of baring any cleavage, but a little peeked out from under her dress and that hidden effect only made her more desirable. He became oblivious to the calming music and the heat of the alcohol as all of his senses were captured by her. It didn't stop him though, from noticing two attractive young men who were throwing admiring glances their way. He knew immediately who they targeted. As if to prove she was taken, he moved his seat nearer to hers and placed his glass next to hers. To strengthen his point, he sent a warning glance over to them with his eyes narrowed. Athrun could be rather intimidating when provoked or when the situation calls for it and this was one that proved this point. The looks on the faces of the two men were instantly modified and they backed away to somewhere, probably where they would not be noticeable by the man.

Athrun gave an inaudible sort. He was sure Cagalli had not noticed a thing; she was too dense when it came to certain matters. She finished the last of her drink and put the glass down, a contented smile plastered over her full lips. The bartender quickly came over to retrieve the empty glass.

"A Sex On The Beach." Cagalli ordered and crossed her legs, revealing even more of her slender thighs. All this of course, did not escape Athrun's sharp sight and hearing.

_"Sex…On The Beach?"_ Athrun repeated in his mind. His eyes were still glued to the bottom of her dress, or rather, what was underneath it. He felt a sudden rush of blood to his head and he looked away, trying to calm himself down. He knew the ordered drink was now in Cagalli's hands, judging by the slight movement of the sound waves of her sipping.

"What's the matter Athrun?" Cagalli inquired. "You haven't touched your drink for some time."

"Huh? I…I was just thinking about…some…stuff…" Athrun answered hastily. Cagalli nodded meekly, an expression that she bought his answer, and continued to drink.

Athrun ran a hand through his hair. He was a tad, no, perhaps quite irritated by Cagalli's apparent lack of consciousness of the impact of her actions to the people around her. Ordering a Sex On The Beach while crossing her legs, did she know how provocative her actions were? They were enough to drive his hormones wild, and yet she didn't realise a single thing. He took a mouthful of the bitter liquid in his glass, hoping it would numb the rising sensations within him. He then gestured for a refill, which was promptly responded to.

"You can hold your liquor well don't you?" Cagalli asked. It was more of a statement than a question.

"It's probably better than normal people I guess?" Athrun replied, swirling his glass, studying the movements of the liquid and ice in his glass.

Cagalli laughed again, an open of pleasurable laugh. Athrun quirked an eyebrow at her, then joined in the laughter. After their laughter subsided, a comfortable silence reigned between the couple.

"So how's work?" Cagalli inquired casually. Her drink was now a quarter full and she held it to her lips, wanting more.

"Work is just work." Athrun shrugged. "It's quite a massive load but ZAFT isn't that bad. At least it gives me some time off to drink to my heart's content." He raised his glass to emphasize his point in which Cagalli laughed in response. "How about you?"

"Well, as you said, work is just work." Cagalli answered, bringing her glass to her lips, rendering Athrun to another hormonal torture. "However though, it seems that ZAFT is kinder than Orb in terms of employment benefits!" she joked. Her cheerful amber eyes then toned down a little. "Sometimes I wish I could be free from all this…" she added in a softer voice.

Athrun noticed her every action, and chose to keep silent on the matter. Cagalli's responsibilities were huge; they were heavier than his own responsibilities at ZAFT. He was a top Commander, but she was a leader. There was much more things she had to go through than him, that for a fact he acknowledged. He had observed her course of work when he was under the false identity of Alex Dino and up till now, he still hoped she could just put down the burden for once and live life not as the Princess of Orb, but as Cagalli Yula Attha. He was more than willing to carry that heavy load together with her, only to be slapped in his face time after time with her refusals. Athrun, when he was still known as Alex Dino in Orb, had even proposed a plan of her leaving everything behind while he took care of her. He was not chauvinistic; all he wanted was for her to be free from the stress and burden and allow him to care for her for life. However to Cagalli, her obligations far outweighed personal contentment and his plan was quickly disposed of into the recycle bin. He was angry, he was mad, he was outraged when she decided to marry Yuna Roma Seiran. Does that mean she would rather live the rest of her life with someone she didn't even harbour any slightest romantic feelings for than marry him? The pain and hurt probably drove him to the edge of sanity and reason, Athrun analysed years after the second war. Time had passed and healed certain wounds, but the scars, though faint, were still there.

"So, how are Kira and Lacus doing?" Athrun asked, hoping to change the mood.

Cagalli immediately brightened up upon the subject. "Kira always complains of the amount of workload he has, but he seems to be enjoying it nonetheless." She laughed. "He is after all the head of the Science and Technology Department! Lacus is playing with my little nephew the whole day long! She is now working as a music teacher though, and attends charity events now and then. The three of them are visiting the orphanage now, and will only be back in two weeks."

"I see…" Athrun replied with a thoughtful look on his face. "They are living the life they want huh?" he added a bit ruefully. "Compared to my pathetic self."

"It isn't that bad isn't it?" Cagalli said.

_"It __**is**__ that bad."_ Athrun thought as Cagalli polished off her drink, leaving a satisfied smile and flushed cheeks on her face. Inwardly, he sighed. He could have lived the way Kira was living now, if only she had agreed to give him her hand in marriage. Coming home to a beautiful wife and bouncing a cute child on his lap; that was all he wished for. He was rich, filthy rich in fact. His pay was probably a hundred or thousand times that of an average citizen, and with a huge inheritance under his name, he could live out the rest of his life in the lap of luxury. People like him are always under the impression that they are living the life they want, but to Athrun, nothing was more important to him than having a warm family. But now, he was returning to a cold and empty home everyday. It was not so bad during work, when he had so many things to immerse himself into, however once alone at home, his mind began to berate himself. It became so painful that alcohol became one of his outlets, besides bringing work home and quarrelling with Yzak.

"A margarita." Athrun heard Cagalli telling the bartender. She picked up her glass, staring into the liquid.

"You haven't changed a bit Athrun." Cagalli commented.

The question caught Athrun off-guard for a second. He turned to stare at Cagalli again. She didn't turn to meet his gaze, but continued to stare into her drink with a sullen smile. He allowed his eyes to travel back to his newly filled glass and kept his gaze there.

"You haven't changed either." He replied.

Both of them had matured over the years, but the headstrong characteristic in them was so deeply rooted that it would be humanly or superhumanly impossible to remove. Athrun, although he never admitted it, was still scarred by Cagalli's betrayal. A part of him wanted to punish her by letting her bask in the pain of lost love while he found happiness in another, however, the other part of him stubbornly refused to let go of her, for it told him he loved her so much that it was impossible for him throw away everything related to her. He spent the years after the second war immersing himself in his own complex web of emotions, finally succumbing to the fact that her place in his heart would and can never be replaced by another. Athrun knew very well the Hawke sisters, especially Meyrin felt something more for him than just friends, but he didn't lead them on nor refuse them flatly. He was ashamed of himself; he had treated Meyrin as a kind of insurance, someone he could run to if things didn't work out between Cagalli and him and probably to spite Cagalli too. Meyrin soon realised however, she could never reach the level of importance Cagalli commanded in Athrun. She stayed on beside him, hoping somehow he might just give her a larger part of his heart, probably less than Cagalli, but more than others. But it never happened. Try as he might, Athrun had never treated her more than just a friend. Meyrin was intelligent enough to know this, and she left his side, no matter how painful it was for her. Unfortunately for her, there was almost no pain on his part. All she did was to leave him a note and Athrun left it at that, for it was all for the best. An apology would only intensify the hurt. He decided his guilt would be the best apology for Meyrin.

A pregnant silence engulfed the couple, only interrupted by intermittent sounds of sipping, as all the thoughts and emotions of all the years played in their mind. The past, it held so much for them. An old sentimental tune, accompanied on the piano by request from a patron, gently encircled them and slowly engulfed the entire bar with its timeless melody.

Absent-mindedly, Cagalli traced the rim of her glass with her index finger. Her cheeks were pink under the influence of alcohol, and a subtle wistfulness graced her smile.

"It was bittersweet, wasn't it?" She began, her index finger stopping on the rim of the glass. "Our relationship, just like this margarita."

Athrun could feel the widening of his emerald eyes as he turned in surprise to stare at Cagalli who didn't return his gaze, but let herself to be enraptured by the said drink. This was the first time in many years she had spoken so openly to him about their relationship. She had always evaded it, and he knew better than to coerce something out of her. The delicate balance between them might be shattered in just and instant.

"Bittersweet…" Cagalli continued. "The taste of first love. It was always described like that… We were…just like that…weren't we?" Her tone was slightly melancholic and her bright amber eyes, dulled by forced maturity, shone with a sullen sparkle.

Cagalli's words seemed to strike a chord within Athrun and it resonated in him, playing the same tune over and over again. There was a faint but continuous jabbing at the area around his left chest. Was it painful or not? Was it hope or diminished hope? He couldn't tell.

"You must be drunk." Athrun didn't answer her question; or rather he avoided it completely by making a justifiable observation. Probably the alcohol was getting to him and numbing his senses. Somehow he wished she was not drunk, for her words had lit up something in him and ignited what had been dormant within him for so long.

Cagalli lifted her head and let out a light chuckle. "Perhaps I am." She replied. Her cheeks were stained a rosy pink and emitted heat; the obvious signs that the alcohol was already in her circulation. Another silence settled between the two, and Athrun took this chance to refill his glass a few more times.

Drinking his thoughts away was not Athrun's style of doing things; he hardly got drunk anyway. But somehow he wanted to experience the feeling of intoxication just for tonight. Just by staring at Cagalli, his heart began to throb violently. It throbbed with a mixture of hurt and excitement. The vodka was there to cure his ailment, be it to quell the pain or to increase the intensity of a certain emotion. He downed the drink with a fierce intensity, earning him a raised eyebrow from his partner tonight.

"I'm completely sober, albeit a little warm." Athrun answered Cagalli's unspoken question. He allowed his eyes to capture her entire form, and somewhere within, a fire began to burn.

"Do you want to continue at my place?" Athrun asked casually. "I have some more there, and it seems you would not be happy till you are completely knocked out."

"So you can tell!" Cagalli laughed. "So what do you have? Wine?"

"Beer." Athrun chuckled as he gave his reply. "Why wine?"

"Cause I thought you go for the more classy and expensive lifestyle?" Cagalli tried.

"I'm just a normal person after all." Athrun shrugged. In fact, consuming the cheap, canned beers gave him a certain rebellious thrill. He was born into a prestigious family, where he was given the best in everything, from education, clothes to food. He had everything he needed, and did not need as well. The Zalas after all, had a rich tradition in the political scene of PLANT as well as powerful representations in ZAFT, and along with it came wealth and fame. He was never allowed to have what his father classified as "lowly stuff", although military training, especially survival training, taught them to make do with whatever was available. He, along with his team of redcoats, was a privileged bunch and their meals were much more lavish compared to that of a normal soldier. Plus, rules in the military were strict on alcohol and drunken behaviour and there was no way Athrun was allowed to sabotage his position as well as his father's position in ZAFT. It was interesting to him when he bought a carton of beer after assuming the position of the top Commander of ZAFT and it soon became a habit, as it paid tribute to his lost teenage rebellion. It soon however, mutated into an outlet for him to forget the cold and lonely air in his luxurious apartment. The beer was cold and warm at the same time and many times he would only laugh at the irony.

"I don't see why not." Cagalli agreed to his earlier question. "Isn't this what normal people do: get together with some booze after work?" The ends of her lips twitched into a smile, apparently amused by her viewpoint.

Athrun gave his credit card to the bartender and said: "I'm paying for the lady too." The bartender was efficient and it wasn't long before Athrun led Cagalli by hand to his elegant, black Lamborghini. It sped off, blending into the dark night riddled with stars, its roaring engines but silent ride bragging its power and extravagance. A short while later and they were already at the door of his apartment.

Cagalli entered Athrun's spacious apartment and scanned her surroundings. The place was spick and span and everything was neatly kept in their own place. Just as she had thought.

"This is so like you Athrun." Cagalli commented before throwing herself onto his comfortable sofa. He watched her silently for a while, capturing her images onto his photographic memory before making a silent advance into the modern-looking kitchen, fitted with the latest technology from the realm of household appliances. He strode straight to a massive refrigerator, that was opened was surprisingly empty, and retrieved a carton of cold beer.

Athrun walked casually to where Cagalli currently was: lazily spread out on the sofa. He didn't mind it a bit; he almost never minded anything to do with her. For once, he felt the looming absence in his apartment gently dissolving away.

Warmth.

Athrun's apartment was screaming for a mistress, and he knew it very well. The deafening silence of his room at night only accentuated his need for a warm being beside him. Not any warmth, but her warmth. The one and only warmth in his life, greatly surpassing even the all-encompassing sunlight.

Athrun placed the beer on the table and smirked at Cagalli. "You ordered this miss." He joked.

Both of them then proceeded to have drinking contest in which Cagalli proclaimed herself to be winner.

"You lose Athrun! You lose!" Cagalli let out while flailing her arms wildly in the air. "I'm the winner! I'm the winner!" she proclaimed loudly before giggling hysterically.

"You win, you win." Athrun replied, helping himself to another can of beer. He was still clearly sober, and there wasn't any sign of him going down anytime soon. Cagalli and her drunken antics were amusing him, so he chose to quietly observe her and give in to whatever she said. Plus, it felt to him as the missing piece in his home was complete. He did not know if it was the alcohol or just him, but the feeling of warmth and happiness glided into him and passed through into his entire body.

Athrun silently finished another can of beer, then suddenly noticing everything had gone quiet. He glanced from his position on the floor, only to see a golden-hair princess asleep on the sofa. She lay on her side on the sofa, eyes closed in gentle slumber.

_"Sleeping Beauty eh?"_ Athrun chuckled to himself as he stood up from his sitting position and neared the sofa. _"She'll catch a cold like that." _He thought, looking at her and her revealing dress and exposed skin. His train of thoughts lead Athrun to suddenly have a sharp intake of breath. He couldn't help it, but let his eyes wander around the sleeping figure in front of him. His hormones were acting up again, as his emerald eyes travelled from her exposed thighs that revealed even more skin due to her sleeping position, her feminine curves, then to her chest area, where a little cleavage was bared to him.

Athrun could feel a fire growing in the pit of his stomach and he looked away, in hopes of regaining some control over himself. Indecency was not something a soldier should possess, and he knew that if he was just a soldier in ZAFT, showing such disrespect to civilian women or the women of ZAFT was a heavy crime. He calmed himself down by inhaling large amounts of oxygen. It worked to a certain extent, but that fire within him was subdued, but still alive.

When he thought he was ready, Athrun returned his attention to Cagalli. Without thinking, he gently picked her off the sofa, and carried her bridal style into his room. She was soft and warm and fit perfectly into his hands and when he placed her down on his bed, it took almost all of him not to do anything else.

Athrun stared at Cagalli, sleeping peacefully. He tucked her into bed as gently as he could, trying not to rouse her. He took a last look at her, and willed himself to go away. He knew his control wouldn't last if he continued staring at her. He possessed amazing self-control as compared to the mass of the population, and training in the military strengthened it further. But it all came to naught when it concerned Cagalli. She broke all his boundaries and barriers, and everything was rendered illogical when it came to her.

Athrun could only give a snort as the notion of him possessing inhuman self-control filled his Coordinator-engineered brain. If it was any normal man, he would have not been able to resist the temptation of his beloved woman sleeping in _his_ bed right under _his_ nose. He knew for a fact, he was not the only one victimised under the charms of Cagalli Yula Attha. There were so many of them, politicians and influential men alike, whom she could have wed with just a nod of her golden head. Not all of her suitors were old geezers desiring to extend their political influence or to rise up the ranks in power, in fact, many of them were handsome young men which had enough power on their hands without needing the influence of the nation of Orb. Athrun was considered a potential candidate, because a Natural-Coordinator union might be just the right medicine for a world where the wounds of war were still fresh and in the midst of healing. However, human relationships were not that easy and even if the top brass of ZAFT had pushed for it, the hostilities between ZAFT and Orb as well as the Earth Alliance were only just beginning to fade. The union might be welcome in a sense, but the repercussions outweighed the benefits. Therefore, Athrun could only get wind of gossip surrounding the Princess of Orb without being a part of it. He could name, with some distaste, some of her more prolific suitors. The President of Britain was one of them, and was more outspoken as compared to the others. The well-built young man with deep brown eyes had openly expressed his admiration for Cagalli and did not seem to have any intention of giving up even after 5 years of his futile efforts. The leader of Chinese Eurasia, a tall, lanky man with dark hair and moss-green eyes expressed his affections in a considerably less open manner, but it was found out by the paparazzi all the same. Athrun held a slight pang of jealousy for the young leader, for their eyes were both green, albeit a different shade, and he held the fear that Cagalli may just succumb to the eyes which reflected his own as a replacement. However, Athrun was never really worried about those two or the rest of her suitors. The one who truly bothered him was the Prince of Scandinavia.

The Prince of Scandinavia was a lucky survivor of the blast, masterminded by Gilbert Durandal to wipe out the leaders of the Kingdom of Scandinavia who had rejected his Destiny Plan. After the war, he carried on the legacy of his deceased father and his faithful subjects and rebuilt the Kingdom of Scandinavia with their ideals. His plight was very similar to that of Cagalli's, and the nation of Orb and the Kingdom of Scandinavia had been long time allies, even harbouring the Archangel crew after their defection from Orb. Therefore, he got along very well with Cagalli. Athrun even found out, with some connections, that the both of them were childhood friends and the young prince had even asked if she could marry him.

Athrun's jealousy was not without a reason. The Prince was also a prince in every single way. Beautiful blonde hair and startling blue eyes, his eyes gentle yet too deep to truly comprehend. His princely features were further accentuated by his high nose and the megawatt smile. Adding on the regal air in which he carried himself in, women of all ages fell at his feet. His charms were on par with Athrun's, perhaps even greater. Athrun knew for a fact that the Prince had the same feelings he had for Cagalli; he saw it in his eyes. The way he looked at her silently and the way he treated her as if she was so precious and fragile; Athrun could never miss it. Many a time he pretended not to watch as he politely requested the Princess for a dance during balls, or their private conversations during dinner in which Cagalli would smile or giggle. However, overflowing jealousy always sought to control his bodily movements and before he could realise it, his green eyes had hardened like steel and had shot several bouts of murderous glances at the handsome prince. Athrun never explicitly admitted it, but he was a jealous and possessive man, a distinguishing trait of a Scorpio. There were times the Prince would be featured on the newspaper and he would _accidentally _spill his coffee over it, and then blame everything on his carelessness as the mess was cleared up, all the while having his lips in a slight upturned position.

_"Just one kiss…"_ Athrun thought as he went close to Cagalli. He touched her hair softly, sweeping them away from her forehead where he leaned in to kiss her. He allowed his gaze to linger on her for a bit longer after the kiss before willing himself to go away.

"Athrun."

Before Athrun could react, a pair of soft arms was thrown around his neck, and he found himself staring into stunning amber eyes.

Cagalli was awake, and was looking straight at him. He could catch the faint lily fragrance mixed with alcohol on her, all blending in together with her rich feminine scent.

"Don't go."

Two simple words, and it was enough to let Athrun forget how to breathe. His hands had tightened to form a fist unknowingly in a bid for him to regain his self-control.

"You're drunk Cagalli." Athrun let out in one heavy breath. "Go to sleep." He said as he tried to push her away and back onto his bed.

"I'm not drunk Athrun." Cagalli replied, resisting his hands which tried to pry her hands off his neck. "I'm fully conscious. I'm never more awake." With that, she exerted some pressure on Athrun's neck and raised her upper body can kissed him softly.

The kiss sent an electric shock all over Athrun's body. The kiss was gentle and innocent, but to Athrun, it took a deeper and more dangerous meaning. Every single cell in his body had been excited just by the touch of her lips, on her own accord no less, and that little fire within him was now ignited to become a raging inferno. All the control he had prided himself on that night was now being ravaged into ashes.

"Cagalli…" Athrun let out in a deep, husky voice after their kiss had been broken. Their gazes met, emerald to amber, and he could tell she was indeed awake and not doing what she did in a drunken stupor. The new knowledge only spurned on the desire and lust for the woman in front of his eyes. Athrun placed her gently back on the bed. To him, it was as if she, who haunted his dreams every single night on his lonesome king-sized bed, was not just a fragment of created fantasy, but finally reality. He leaned in to capture her lips fully and she accepted and responded to his kiss.

The kiss, was burning hot, and it awakened every single flame in their bodies. Soon the passion spread as they were lost in heated kisses and lustful moans. Their desire for each other fully manifested themselves that night. Burning touches, passionate kisses and excited screams mingled together in the dark room, once so cold and lonely. They filled each other with whatever they needed, satisfied whatever they desired, and passed on whatever they wanted the other to know. Their forms melded together and merged into one, forming an unbreakable, eternal bond and an endless promise.

* * *

Morning came silently, like a master thief, crept in discreetly from the east. The rays of the morning sun slowly spread over the darkness of the room, overpowering the masters and snatching away everything in their possession.

Cagalli awoke as a faint ray of light stopped on her eyelids and eased them open, instilling a dim golden hue in her amber orbs. She moved slightly in her position, and was aware of her state of undress as well as the warm chest pressed to her back and the strong arms that encircled her in their embrace. She could see, in front of her on the floor, her purple dress that she had allowed Athrun to remove last night. The memories of last night, when they had so fiercely made love to each other played in her mind her cheeks coloured a deep red, just like they did after the effect of alcohol had kicked in.

Athrun's kisses were scalding hot, and they melted her wherever they went, rendering her unable to resist. She gave him everything he asked for, while fulfilling herself with the ecstasy of his demands. He was demanding yet gentle at the same time. He poured out his love for her in the most carnal and sensual way, but was careful with her all at the same time. He had screamed out her name in sheer pleasure as she did for him, then took her into his embrace, cuddling her and whispering the words "I love you." in her ear over and over again until fatigue overtook the reins of his physical self.

Cagalli nimbly removed Athrun's hands from her bare body and turned over silently. Athrun had not stirred; he was in peaceful slumber and was having a pretty dream she was sure, for a happy smile was etched on his lips. She half-knew the reason behind that joy, and her smile faded gradually. Athrun was so vulnerable now, just like a baby. Cagalli knew he never allowed himself to be this way, not even in rest. Carelessness is suicidal for a soldier and he had that fatal flaw only in rare circumstances. Even so, the habitual mechanism of awareness and self-protection never left him amidst the tight security which surrounded a high-ranking ZAFT commander. But now, he had succumbed to the Sandman totally; all his defences were relaxed. Trust and hope made Athrun lose the soldier within him and it only made her feel guiltier.

As quietly as she could, Cagalli got off the bed and gathered her clothes that had been strewn all over the room in the wild frenzy of the night. She put them on, shielding only partly the remnants of their night of passion. She glanced at her bared neck and chest in the mirror, only to see that they were not bare, but had irregular red markings plastered all over the area. She blushed again as the memories entered her consciousness once again. Athrun had possessively marked her as his by leaving his prints all over her while trying to earn her submission to him.

Cagalli picked up a dark jacket near her and acknowledged it to be part of Athrun's attire the night before. His masculine scent still lingered on it and warmth reminiscent of him wrapped around her as she put it on, concealing the evidence of their rendezvous. Her glance shifted towards his sleeping and she gingerly went towards the bed. Her eyes were not shining like they did before; they were downcast. She took a last look at Athrun and bent down, leaving a light kiss on his forehead. With that she left, leaving behind a trail of the scent of lilies, alcohol and a broken promise.

* * *

Author's notes: I took the trouble to research on the cocktails and alcoholic beverages used in this fic. I have only drank once or twice for the experience, otherwise I'm a teetotaller, and therefore has little or no idea on the issue. I searched on wiki for all the IBA official cocktails to find a few that are suitable for use in my fic. If the real thing doesn't match then well...errr...ok...whatever...

Please read and review!


	2. Destiny

Authors' notes: An update after a looooong while...

Don't blame me, there is something called school and exams. Why do I feel like I am repeating the same thing over and over again?

This is part 2 and the last instalment of **Destiny**. This was planned to be a twoshot from the very beginning. I have finally finished this. This is the longest fic or part of a fic I have ever wrote. It went to 5000 words, then 6000 and before I knew it, it had spiralled to 9000. Adding the final touches and it became 10,000. That is why it took so long, apart from the school term. I have been working on this fic ever since the exams ended and finished only now...

Answers to reviewers of the **Melody Of The Night**:

**shiloah18**: I made no mistake in that part. I suggest you read that part carefully over again.

**Teca no Shinju**: Yes, I totally ignored Final Plus. The part about visiting the memorial irked me so much I decided to ignore Final Plus altogether. I saw that in the trailer of the new movie but it has nothing to do with this fic, so you can just ignore it!

I wrote the part about the jazz bar in **Melody Of The Night** with a song in mind, Now and Forever by Richard Marx. For those who are interested, you can read it while listening to the song!

An important note to those reading this fic:

There will be certain things in this fic that will require explanation or will leave you going "I thought it was supposed to be...?". Therefore I have added endnotes. It will make it easier for readers to understand since you all don't have the same mind as me and can't know what I am thinking about or what I am imagining.

For readers who will go "Are you sure?", please read the endnotes first or read the endnotes while reading the fic.

For readers who leave their questions till the end, you are welcome to read the endnotes only after the end of the story.

Ok, I have stated down everything that is needed to know. Enjoy this fic and please review! (As you can see, a lot of effort has gone into it.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny or any of its characters.

**

* * *

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**Destiny **

The brilliant rays of sunlight slyly avoided the filter of the curtains and cast its unforgiving shine onto the dwellers of the room. Its glare was subtle, but was sufficient to rouse the ignorant prince from his peaceful slumber.

Athrun turned comfortably on his side, a wide smile etched on his lips. His dreams were beautiful and his sleep was one of the best he had ever gotten ever since he enlisted into ZAFT. His consciousness was returning little by little, but he refused the entry of full state of awareness. With his eyes closed, he searched for the precious thing that established the reason behind his vulnerability and happiness.

Athrun laid his strong arms lazily over the side of the bed, where foreign but alluring warmth was. He inhaled a scent so sweet that it almost seemed to be forbidden. He searched for its source. His arms widened then came together again, expecting the one he loved to come into his embrace. However, what he came into contact was just air. Air tainted with fading warmth.

Athrun's emerald eyes shot open like a bewildered bird frantically flapping it wings after a surprise shot from a hunter narrowly missed it. He quickly sat up straight in bed, praying his senses were mistaken.

"Cagalli?" Athrun called out uncertainly. A voice, a sound, anything would do. Anything would be sufficient to quell the fears gradually taking over him. He got out of bed and put on some clothes that were lying all over the floor. As he did so, he noticed that it was devoid of any feminine wear.

"Cagalli?" Athrun called out again as he approached the bathroom, hoping to hear the sounds of water, proof that she was still in his apartment. With slightly trembling hands, he opened the door.

The silence was deafening. The only sounds audible were the forgotten water drops on the large mirror slowly trickling down to the sides of the basin. Athrun unwittingly took a large intake of breath as a nominal discomfort in his stomach began to intensify.

"She must be somewhere else…" Athrun muttered to himself as he turned away from the bathroom and headed towards the exit of his spacious room. His large strides became smaller, slowed down by hesitance.

"She must be here." Athrun repeated to himself as he opened the door of his room. He quickly glanced around his apartment, hoping to catch any view of her. Anything.

Athrun rushed to the kitchen, wishing she were there making breakfast for him. He ran to the study room, expecting to see her going through her documents there. He searched his apartment inside out, and outside in again to catch a glimpse of her.

Nothing.

Nothing at all. His apartment was empty, just like before. And he knew it, for its resident atmosphere had returned, gradually overpowering her feminine scent and temporary warmth. The unease in him had by now; graduated to launch a full-scale attack on his mentally weakened body.

He had to go. Athrun knew he had to go. He was not going to let her slip from his grasp again, not after she had given him hope when they shared a bond carved by passion from the night before. He sprinted to his room and threw the ajar door open. He swiftly put on a shirt, but could not help but notice the red marks that adorned his muscular chest. They were a tad lighter, but were similar to the ones he left on her.

As Athrun stopped for a while to stare at the love bites on his chest, the memories of the night they shared filled his Coordinator-engineered brain again and played out every single second perfectly. Cagalli returned his favour after he lavished her with his claims on her and he paid it back in double. In normal circumstances he would have smirked at her embarrassment. However to him now, the love bites were useless. The impression they left was deep, but lacked the most important thing.

Eternity.

Athrun rushed out of his apartment, not even bothering to check if the door was closed properly behind him. He didn't give a damn about his posh house being looted when the most important thing in his life was going to be stolen from him. Using all of his Coordinator-given abilities, he was in his black Lamborghini in a moment and speeding away on the roads to where he thought Cagalli would be. As the uneasiness in him spread, the pressure on the accelerator increased in the same extent. A very bad feeling was circulating within him and he tried his very best to push it away from his consciousness, all the time praying none of his worst nightmares would come true.

* * *

Athrun pulled in at the entrance of the Attha manor after impatiently speeding through the compulsory security checks. The message had gotten around that the top Commander of ZAFT had arrived at the manor and did not seem to be in a very favourable mood. Not wanting to destroy any fragile diplomatic relations, the staff sped things up but to Athrun, it seemed like they were working at a snail's pace. He could only barely stop himself from barking at them.

Athrun got out of the car as soon as it stopped and threw the door of the entrance open rather roughly, totally ignoring the guards by the side who were staring at him in shock. He went, without much trouble to his intended destination, as everyone in the building knew about his arrival and also his foul mood.

Athrun knew the place well; it had never changed ever since the days he was working as Cagalli's bodyguard under the alias of Alex Dino. He went straight to Cagalli's office where he assumed she would be, not even giving a glance to flustered maids and guards who greeted him nervously. His impatience was evident and the security in front of the main office knew better than to stall him. Anyway, they had already been given instructions to let him in once he arrived.

Storming into the main office without even casting a glance to the bewildered security personnel, Athrun searched the room for the only one his eyes wanted to see. A bunch of seemingly unfamiliar but downright familiar faces greeted him. They were staring straight at him and in his state of fuzziness he could not really read their expressions as well as he usually could.

"Athrun!" A male voice sounded and echoed through the room, breaking the trance the ZAFT Commander had been in.

Something in Athrun snapped as he finally opened his eyes to the reality in front of him. Kira and Lacus were looking upon him in worry with the towering Kisaka beside them.

"Cagalli…" Athrun muttered as he pushed them all aside so that the office desk would be in his full view. He half expected and hoped, with his entire heart that she would be sitting there, looking up at him from her mountains of documents with those sparkling amber eyes and smiling back at him. But all he saw was nothing. Nothing at all.

The table had been cleared out that not a single trace of its previous owner could be detected. It glistened in the morning light that was gradually turning up the knob on its intensity, as if to brag its emptiness. Athrun's emerald eyes widened as an unnatural light reflected off it.

"Cagalli." Athrun exhaled. "Where is she?" He let out, voice just above a whisper. "Where is she!" he repeated, this time almost as loud as a scream.

"Athrun! Calm down!" Kira said as he tried to hold onto him.

"Kira!" Athrun turned to face the brunette as he clasped his shoulders in a tight grip. "Where is Cagalli?"

"I…I don't know…" Was all Kira managed to stutter before Athrun shoved him aside rudely. He caught sight of the silent Kisaka and marched straight up to him. He glared at the older man with such frightening concentration it could kill a normal man on the spot. However, Kisaka was no ordinary man. Years serving in the Orb military had toughened him and age had bestowed upon him wisdom and the intellect to read emotions. He, guardian of their obstinate princess knew all her matters very well too. Therefore, the Athrun in front of him to him was nothing more than a normal man trying to bluff his way into the ranks of ferocious pirates.

Athrun grabbed Kisaka's clothes in his trembling hands and affixed upon him his terrifying glare. He used his Coordinator strength to slightly lift the taller Kisaka up, trying to instill fear within him.

"Where is Cagalli." Athrun hissed dangerously, his words more of an order than a plea.

"Where is she." He repeated himself, venom dripping from every single sound he uttered. His usually bright emerald eyes had dulled and they were encased in slits.

"Where is she!!!" Athrun has finally snapped and was shaking Kisaka violently with all the strength he had in his arms. Kira and Lacus, upon seeing this, rushed over and tried to pry his hands off the older man to no avail. His hands had a death grip on his shirt and he was not planning to remove them anytime soon.

Kisaka did not move a single inch, even from the attacks of the stronger Athrun. He opened his eyes to look down at the burning eyes of the half-crazed young man. He could tell how broken he was inside and how close he was to losing his sanity. He however, was not going to have him, a promising young man with a kind heart fall into the depths of darkness just like that: he had an obligation to protect him. He remembered his promise to the late Chairman of Orb, Uzumi Nara Athha, to protect the precious seeds of their future. He had no intention of breaking a promise to a man he deeply respected.

Kisaka was a well-respected figure in the Orb military as well as to the normal Orb citizens who knew him. He has lived in Orb all his life and is fiercely loyal to the country and her leaders. From the moment he joined the Orb military, he had sworn his entire life and future to the nation. He never married, although with his tall and strong build, honest demeanor and a stable job and high pay together with the sense of security he gave women, he was considered to be an eligible bachelor and was most highly sought after in his younger days. He never took a second look at any of them though; his sight was focused on something higher, something which he thought to be nobler than his own life. There was a woman who was hopelessly in love with him and tried every single way to garner his attention. Kisaka had tried to persuade her many times to stop wasting her time on him and find a better man better suited to her than he is. However, her love for him was much deeper than that. She loved him so much that she knew she would never find someone else worthy of her love. To be closer to him, she joined the Orb military as a female soldier. It was her way of feeling his passion, doing what he was doing so as to close the distance between them, no matter how insignificant it was. She was gentle and feminine and everyone knew she was not one suited for the military. But she ignored all objections and braved all the hardships so that she could be with the one in her heart. Kisaka never told anyone, but at slowly, he felt his resolve starting to shatter. Her determination was breaking the wall he had purposefully built around his romantic feelings. However, it was not to be. The day he decided to take things further with her was the day she died in a military mishap. He broke down as he received news of her falling and once more as he went through her personal belongings. There were lots of pictures of him as well as a diary depicting her feelings from day to day. Through Kisaka, she had learnt to love Orb the way he did. It however, was the cause of her downfall. He blamed himself for her death and from that day onwards, he swore to serve Orb with all his life, for the one she had fallen in love with was the Kisaka who loved Orb from the bottom of his heart.

From just a mere soldier, with his superior strength and intellect and admirable leadership skills, Kisaka quickly rose up the ranks to become a Commander which was directly under the supervision of the Orb Chairman at that time, Uzumi Nara Attha. Working so close to their revered leader only fuelled his respect and admiration for him. He was able to gain his trust and Uzumi was soon confiding in him in both country and personal matters. One of them was of his only daughter, Cagalli Yula Attha. She was brought up like a princess but acted like she wasn't one. She was rebellious at a young age and he was afraid her unruly ways would continue without proper supervision. He had very little time for her and was always secretly worrying about her. Kisaka could not bear to see Uzumi's tired frown whenever news reached him that the Princess had gotten into some kind of trouble again. Therefore, he volunteered to be the Princess's guardian to teach her and guide her. Uzumi had not readily agreed to his request; it was only after his relentless pleading that he finally gave way.

"I can't thank you enough Kisaka." Uzumi had said to him.

"You do not need to thank me Chairman." Kisaka had replied. "I'm only doing my job as an Orb citizen. The Princess, she is the future of our nation. I'm only fulfilling my obligations."

The two men smiled at each other with understanding and new found respect. From that day onwards, Kisaka was assigned to become Cagalli's guardian while fulfilling the roles of a bodyguard and teacher at the same time. He was with her everywhere she went, from being the rebellious princess to a resistance fighter; from a girl heartbroken from the death of her father to a leader; he was with her all the way. He knew her like nobody else did and he watched as those bright, shining amber eyes changed to one dulled and pained as the years passed. Cagalli never ever let out her problems or cried in front of anyone ever since the end of the second war. She believed it would only make her look weak and a leader had to be strong under any circumstance. From then on, she picked on the bad habit of bottling everything up within her. Kisaka could only watch as the hurt threatened to overwhelm her at times but whenever he approached her, any sign of it was gone. She was quickly learning the ways of the scheming world of politics, where betrayal of your true feelings could prove fatal. However he knew she was breaking down inside. The burden of an entire country coupled with a lost love weighed down on her small and fragile shoulders. The unseen tears she was crying on the inside; each of them was like a blade stabbing his heart. He had learnt to love her like his own daughter and to see her in such pain was such a torture to him. There are times he would ask in front of Uzumi's grave if he really meant for his daughter to suffer so much.

Lack of suitors was the least of Cagalli's problems though. Proposals poured in by the dozens and there were even some who waited day and night by the gates of the manor carrying bouquets and screeching out their undying love for the Princess. Cagalli had also caught the hearts of certain eligible bachelors, someone like the Prince of Scandinavia. They were close, but not close enough to be lovers. Kisaka could see the longing in the eyes of the handsome male but Cagalli seemed to have rejected all romantic affections from affecting her. She was originally dense in this area but there was a bigger reason for it, he knew. She still longed for the Coordinator with blue hair and green eyes. However, she had distanced herself from him, believing it to be the best for the both of them as well as for Orb and PLANTS. That, together with her obligations to Orb was slowly but surely breaking her apart.

Kisaka could see it in the eyes of the man in front of him. The deep forest in them had disappeared. Instead, pain, hurt and disbelief was brimming from its surface, stemming from his love for her. Two people whom Uzumi had entrusted the future of the world to; two people who he had vowed to protect; two people who loved each other; two people who hurt each other; two people who needed the chance to search for their lost happiness. There was so much he wanted to do, but there were some things that were just not up to him. He could only do what he could do.

"She's gone." Kisaka replied. "She has resigned from office. It officially takes effect today."

The grip on Kisaka's clothes loosened a little as shock registered on Athrun's features. His dim green eyes wandered from left to right and his breaths became rapid.

"What do you mean?" Those lost green eyes of his concentrated back on Kisaka. "What do you mean!" he screamed.

Without saying a word, Kisaka pressed a button near him and a live broadcast played in front of them. The morning news was on and there was a huge 'Breaking News!' sign plastered on the screen. Even the normally calm announcer looked flustered.

"Good morning." The announcer said holding a thick pile of papers in front of her. "We have a piece of important news. The Chairman of Orb, Cagalli Yula Attha, has officially tendered her resignation from office this morning. Her resignation has taken effect this morning. The reason behind the sudden move by the Chairman is not known. We are now trying to contact the authorities for more details."

Athrun watched the news with his green eyes opened wide. Every word that came out from the announcer seemed to strike his chest with a heavy force. The weight of reality was what it was holding and it attacked whatever remaining sanity he had left.

"Cagalli has left. She has left Orb." Kisaka's words wafted in the tense air of the room.

Athrun's attention returned to the older man. He tightened his grip once again as he pushed Kisaka roughly backwards.

"Where did she go." Athrun glared at him menacingly. "Where did she go!"

"I don't know." Kisaka answered simply.

"How can you not know! How can you not know!" Athrun jerked Kisaka violently. Kira and Lacus decided to intervene again by trying to calm him down and trying to get him to release his grip on Kisaka.

"It's true Athrun! Kisaka doesn't know!" Lacus said, her brows knitted with worry.

"She didn't even tell us!" Kira let out in a loud voice before it slowly faded. "Cagalli…didn't even tell us…"

At Kira's disappointed and depressed tone, the sanity that Athrun had lost finally returned to him. He studied the faces of the people in the room. They had all the same expression on their faces.

Sadness and disappointment. He realised he was not the only one hurt but Cagalli's sudden departure. The people in the room loved her almost as much as he did.

"She was tired. The burden on her, it got too much for her. She was on the verge of breaking down." Kisaka said. "She wanted to leave. She wanted to go somewhere, somewhere she can breathe."

Athrun turned his attention back to Kisaka, who had his head bowed down and eyes closed. It was evident he was hurt just as much as he did. He was probably the lucky one, for he was the last one to see her before she left. However to him, he was the one hurt the most, for she had given him promise of an eternal future and dashed it all the very next day. It seemed to him as if the chance given to him had been cruelly snatched away by fate once again. Athrun could no longer keep in the emotions welling inside of him. He fell to his knees; his shoulders limp as he stared blankly at the ceiling. All of a sudden, he gave out a deafening cry, accentuating his bitterness with the hoarseness of his voice. His upper body seemed to lose all energy after his cry and he bowed his head down, his hands supporting the weight of his upper body by propping him up on the floor. His midnight-blue hair that had so often beautifully framed his impeccable features fell messily over his face laced with pain and hurt. He kept his green eyes hidden behind his weary eyelids, but they were not sufficient to stop the onset of the bottomless tears that gushed out from within them. The tears fell down his face from the sides and drops fell to the carpeted floor. As they did, they left a stain at the area they had ravaged, the ground where Cagalli once stepped upon.

* * *

The air in the aeroplane was pleasant and calm. The flight was empty and it did a lot to lessen the pressure on both the cabin crew as well as the passengers. A lone woman was sitting at the window seat, staring absent-mindedly out of the window, her hand perched on the armrest, supporting her chin. Her ravishing blonde hair was tied up slightly to the back, leaving her fringe lightly framing her delicate features and her golden tresses gently flowing at the back. On her nose perched a pair of frameless glasses that sought to hide her amber eyes. Pink lip gloss was lightly dabbed on her full lips; it was simple but brought out her natural beauty. She was dressed in a high-collared yellow blouse and a white skirt that fell below her knees. Her jacket, in contrast, was a deep black one which covered her arms and neck from view.

"Miss Via Hibiki?" A flight stewardess approached the woman with a smile on her face. "What would you like to have after take-off?"

The woman turned her attention towards the attendant and answered:

"Camellia tea please."

"Camellia tea?" The flight stewardess repeated. "I understand. Drinks will be served shortly after the aircraft stabilises after take-off. If there is anything else please do not hesitate to call on any of the flight attendants." She said in her professional tone.

"Ok, thank you." She replied with a smile.

The flight stewardess's gaze lingered on her a little longer before her eyes lit up. "Miss Hibiki, has anyone ever told you that you resemble the Princess a lot?"

"Yes, many people tell me that." She answered. "But she is prettier than I am."

"I think both of you are just as beautiful." The flight stewardess said with a smile. "Sorry for taking up your time Miss Hibiki!" With a polite bow, she disappeared down the aisle.

Cagalli once again shifted her attention to the view outside of the aircraft. She would be leaving Orb for a long time, under the identity of Via Hibiki. She had adopted the alias from her birth mother. After Uzumi had revealed the truth of her parentage, she had researched a bit on them. They were top scientists working under the best science facility in Orb under the control of the government of Orb. Many documents on the research of the Hibiki couple had been destroyed but using her connections and power, Cagalli had come to know certain otherwise forgotten facts. The fact that Kira was the Ultimate Coordinator born outside the womb of their mother, how Via had so vehemently objected to their son being made the Ultimate Coordinator and also of the close friendship between her birth parents and adopted father. Uzumi had taken her in and gave her royal status after the mysterious deaths of her parents and raised her like his own daughter, a fact she knew very well.

Cagalli had often lamented herself on the fact that she was not as capable as Uzumi. All she felt when she was holding on to the most powerful position in Orb was that the country she was leading was declining from her glory days when Uzumi was at her helm. No matter how difficult it became, she egged herself on, her only source of motivation being the dying wish left to her by her father. However, there were things in the world that could not be overcome by sheer will and determination alone. She could feel her body and soul slowly deteriorating in power. She was tired, very tired, and Orb wasn't making any improvement in her opinion. Plus, she had lost too much in order to fulfil her obligations.

A dark-coloured jacket lay neatly folded on Cagalli's lap. She picked it up gingerly as her eyes traced every detail, as if trying to piece out the image of the owner in her mind. She did, and Athrun, handsome and charming in his suit appeared before her.

Their relationship had always been something far from normal. Their first meeting had already been strange enough: meeting on a deserted island, Athrun thinking that she was a boy and both of them had weapons directed towards each other before that enmity faded. They had always been so close, yet so far. The major turning point was during the second war when he had went back to ZAFT, berated Cagalli for her choices and then defected from ZAFT back to her once more. However, he had brought along with him a Coordinator girl, Meyrin Hawke.

Meyrin was a sweet and innocent girl in Cagalli's eyes and she couldn't bring herself to hate her. However, to say that she was not heartbroken was a blatant lie. Her heart ached when she saw her with Athrun but after thinking it through, she thought that she would make a better other half for him than her. Fighting back her tears and ignoring the painful throbbing in her left chest, she let him go. She had a whole country on her hands and to her, it was more important than a romantic relationship. However, she would be lying if she had stated she felt no jealousy at all. There would be an uncomfortable ache at her heart area when she got news of Athrun visiting Meer's grave. Sometimes, she hated herself for that and therefore she was more determined to numb herself of these emotions. Forget all that they have shared; forget all the love she harboured for him and forget every single thing of him. She told herself that millions of times, but her gaze somehow always seemed to return to the handsome emerald-eyed Coordinator who had become the Top Commander of ZAFT stationed in Orb. She compared every man she met to him and they all never made the mark. He was in a class of his own. The place he held in was special; no one could ever replace him.

Cagalli hugged the jacket gently. It was still filled with Athrun's masculine scent. Aside from the numerous red marks that covered her neck and chest area possessively, it was the only thing that reminded her of him and their steamy night of passion. She knew she probably would have hurt him leaving without a word, giving him hopes then dashing it almost immediately. All she wanted was to see him before she left Orb, but the night had led to something further. She gave him all of her and he gave her all of him. She didn't care if it was just a simple fling for him; all she wanted was to leave a part of him in her memories. However she saw it in his eyes; he desired her just as much as she desired him. The flame they held for each other had never gone out after all the years. Even so she could not promise him anything. She had to leave, far away from Orb, away from the chains that reined her down. She felt it was the best for Orb, as well as her, to leave the country and give up her position as chairman.

"This is probably…for the best…" Cagalli muttered as she hugged the jacket even closer to her. She thought it may even be the best for Athrun. He could go find someone else, someone else much better than her. She inhaled in the intoxicating scent from the jacket again, holding on to the last thing to remember their relationship by.

* * *

Tense and formal were perhaps apt descriptions for a Commander's office, but Athrun's office was far from that. A pleasant mood described the atmosphere in his office the best.

"How's work?" Kira asked, sipping his ice-cold lemon tea while eyeing the mountains of neatly stacked documents on his desk and on the floor.

"It's ok." Athrun replied, picking up his coffee mug and looking at Kira sucking on a straw amusedly. "The piles there are done a few weeks ago, I only have a few more to go."

"A Commander has such a light workload? Is that legal?" Kira joked.

"I'm _efficient_." Athrun replied and the two men laughed together.

Athrun stole a glance at Kira after their laughter had ceased. He tried to bring up the following subject as naturally as possible.

"S…so…did Cagalli send back anything?" he asked.

Kira looked straight into Athrun's eyes and the Coordinator quickly averted his gaze. He knew that his best friend never forgot his sister even after two years. He figured out that he probably had her picture somewhere on his table but was quickly put away on his arrival. Something must have happened between the two of them the night before Cagalli left silently but he never knew the exact details. He felt it was the cause of the almost mental breakdown he suffered after he received news of her departure but he never asked Athrun anything about it.

"Oh yes she did, from Mexico." Kira quipped casually. "Some souvenirs and postcards as usual, but it was dated two months ago."

"I…I see…" Athrun let out, trying to cover his disappointed tone. However, it was too obvious to escape Kira's sharp eye.

After Cagalli had left them, Athrun was almost like a crazy man. He searched everywhere for her, and when her postcards arrived, he would rush to the place immediately and search the country as well as her neighbours. He disregarded all the advice from his friends and blindly did what his brain told him to do. It got too painful to watch for Kira and Lacus they tried to hold him back and dissuade him from doing what in their eyes was the actions of a half-crazed man. However, nothing went into him, not a single word. He only woke up after Yzak sent a heavy punch across his face, bruising the spot for an entire fortnight.

"Just look at your pathetic self Zala!" Yzak had shouted at him. "Look at the state you're in! If I was Attha I would have dumped you!"

Yzak's words were not on the kind side and were not pleasant to the ears either, but they worked a magical effect on Athrun. The punch of his shook him back to reality. What he was doing was redundant. If Cagalli did not want to be found, then she could not be found. She had her reasons to not wanting to be found, just like she had her reasons for leaving. He was just disgracing himself with his childish actions. Therefore, he stopped searching for her and immersed himself back in his work once again. Kira and Lacus were relieved, for they thought that he had somehow gotten back to normal. He had indeed regained his sanity, but returned to that empty shell he was before that night.

"You remember the state you were in when Cagalli left? You went searching for her even though we told you not to." Kira commented to a silent Athrun. "But I'm glad you finally regained your senses."

Athrun just gave a chuckle in response. Those days were blurred out in his memory. He could only remember himself flying and running everywhere searching for the only one in his mind. He finally calmed down, which was months later after the scolding from Yzak. However, he never gave up his search for Cagalli. Unknown to anyone, he sent lookouts to every part of the globe as well as into space to tap for information regarding the missing ex-Chairman of Orb. He had been unsuccessful thus far, but he was not going to give up. He was not going to give her up without a fight.

Athrun tried every single way to get the tiniest bit of information about the 'missing' former Orb chairman. Every time he received news of a promising lead, only for it to turn into a dead clue. Due to their close relations with Orb, Athrun had every reason to deduce that she was in Scandinavia. He had regular lookouts there but when it all came to nothing, he had every reason to become suspicious that someone high up may be hiding her there. Thus, during a gathering of the important figures of the world, he struck up a conversation with the Prince of Scandinavia, something he thought he would never do.

The conversation began as a normal one between politicians, casual yet careful. Athrun was careful not to go straight into his main question, although he had no patience at all. He knew that the Prince was intelligent too and was cautious not to allow him to see right through him.

"The Princess of Orb," Athrun started. "Or rather, the ex-chairman of Orb has very good relations with Scandinavia. But her whereabouts is still unknown isn't it?"

The handsome Prince looked straight into Athrun's emerald eyes with his own dazzling blue ones. He was silent, but kept that stare and smile on his face. At that moment, Athrun knew he had failed at concealing his real intentions. He had failed miserably. Those eyes of his contained far more insight than he thought they did.

"Princess Cagalli is not in Scandinavia." The Prince answered the question Athrun truly wanted to ask. "I have searched the entire nation once I heard of her resignation from office and subsequently, unknown whereabouts." He added.

Athrun was quite surprised with the Prince's honesty. He did not think that he would have answered him in such a straight manner. He has expected him to put his words in a more complicated and meaningful way or reject his question by turning the conversation away in another direction. However, his bluntness had the Coordinator totally put off-guard.

All this while, the Prince did not lift his gaze off the man beside him. Although his insight played a big part, it was not solely responsible for his ability to identify what the ZAFT Commander really wanted to ask. He had been observing Athrun since a long time ago, or more specifically, he had gained his interest because he always observed Cagalli stealing glances at Athrun when he was not looking but treating him in the formal manner reserved for politicians when speaking to him. He once caught her staring too long at him with a forlorn expression in those beautiful golden eyes. Irritation built up within him and he knew immediately it was due to jealousy. Was he allowed to let his jealousy surface?

Due to his rapid and successful rebuilding of Scandinavia, the Prince had been promoted to almost a god-like status. Together with his "too good for human beings" outward appearance and tact in handling post-war political situations, he was seen as a higher class being who had the ability to throw away his emotions. He however, was only man and had wept when his country and father was killed in the attacks on Scandinavia. He found comfort in Cagalli who had went through the same ordeal. Both of them had pledged together to move on and rebuild their country. Knowing her since childhood, he used subtle ways to court her but she never seemed to notice. Was it because she had been heartbroken? Was it because another person resided in her heart? He had fame, looks, wealth and power, but was this one woman he truly loved but could not have?

"However," he continued, making sure Athrun had his full attention and was staring straight into those sky blue eyes of his. "Next time if I ever find her in my country, or anywhere else, I will have no obligation to report it to you."

The tone the Prince used stunned Athrun and his eyes visibly widened. This was the first time he had heard the Prince speaking to him in such a manner. He knew it at that moment. The Prince was a contender; a fierce contender in fact, for the affections of the girl of his dreams.

"If she wants to keep her identity or whereabouts secret from the rest of the world, I would most gladly do that." The Prince continued, making sure his words was drilled deep into his partner. After a momentary pause he said:

"And if I ever find her in Scandinavia, I will make sure she will never leave Scandinavia again!"

Those last words sure stirred up Athrun's already fumbled thoughts. This was the Prince's declaration of an all-out war of love towards him. His widened eyes quickly narrowed into slits as he quickly accepted the battle thrown at him.

"If I find her first," Athrun said, staring straight at the Prince. "I will make sure she will never step into Scandinavia again as a single woman."

* * *

Visits to the jazz bar had become a regular routine for Athrun. Yzak had personally dragged him to the bar after his months of senseless searching and ordered a drinking match between the both of them. Since then, he had been frequenting the bar once again. He had returned to life before that night, immersing himself in work, then alcohol to numb the emptiness away. The challenge issued to him by the Prince was still in his head, but his confidence was gradually melting away. What if he had already found her? Athrun shook his head and continued to down the alcohol to forget everything. He slowly realised that ever since his absence, old, sentimental tunes were often being belted out in the bar. The slow, addicting melody played out in his mind over and over again and he would often find it repeating itself when he was not in the bar. More often or not, he found himself pondering over some of the lyrics of the songs.

"And if she returns in kind, I'll know she's mine…" Athrun had let out after the song had finished. "Maybe my love will come back someday, only heaven knows…" He laid his head back on the seat and chuckled.

_"The song seemed to be directed at me."_ He thought, feeling both amused and melancholic.

The song that played on the night Cagalli was there at the bar was also requested quite often. Every time Athrun heard it, he would see images of her sitting beside him, drinking while looking so desirable. More often or not, he would then laugh at his useless and pitiful self. Two years had passed since then, and he still could not escape her shadows lingering around him. He often wondered why he was so relentless in his pursuit of her, to the point of waiting two whole years for her without knowing if Cagalli would ever return. Was she so attractive? Was she so appealing? Was she worth the wait?

To Athrun, the answer was yes. Cagali may not be the most beautiful woman in the world, she may not have the best figure and she may not possess the best character a man would hope his wife to have, but to him she was his everything. Racking his brains for an answer, he came up with none. The only logical answer he heard was that all logic fails when you love someone. And it seemed to fully sum up his case.

Somehow or other, Athrun was glad he was in the top brass of ZAFT, for it meant work, work, and more work for him, which he considered a blessing for it took away some of his longing for Cagalli. How his subordinates hated his efficiency. Having an efficient boss would mean loads of work and overtime for them. Athrun sure noticed this, but he was not in the mood to care about how his poor subordinates were coping with the extra amount of work. They were getting fulfilling pay checks out of it and many were strutting into work with the latest designer bag or a new luxury pen. Dearka came strolling in one day into his office and casually commented in his amusement:

"You have a bunch of half-dead dogs out there!"

Athrun wasn't sure his workers would like to hear the word "dogs" being used to describe them, but the "half-dead" description was definitely fitting. He knew of the hopeful looks being thrown towards his office whenever it approached the end of the day which were quickly dulled seeing another mountain of paper being sent out of his office.

Athrun knew he was just being difficult with himself, his workers unfortunate receivers of his wrath. He knew he needed a break, as well as all of his staff. After all, he had sort of sobered after two years. There was no meaning in immersing himself in his work just to forget Cagalli. She wouldn't return just because he was doing work. He would not stop thinking of her by getting loads of documents done in a day. It was just the nearest escape route for him.

"You know what Kira?" Athrun said as he leaned back comfortably in his chair. "I think it is time for me to take a break."

"Really?" Kira's eyes lit up in genuine surprise.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Athrun threw Kira a look jokingly.

"Athrun the workaholic is taking a break? Wow! That is something new!" Kira replied. The two men then looked at each other and laughed.

"What are you planning to do?" Kira asked after their laughter had ceased.

"I was thinking…I will probably go on a holiday…" Athrun replied, looking up at the ceiling.

"Where?" Kira inquired again.

"Maybe…Italia…" Athrun let out.

"Italia?" Kira repeated. "That would be nice! There is pizza, pasta, risotto…"

"I'm not only going there for the food!" Athrun chuckled openly at his best friend. "There are many other things to do there! Besides, I have lots of other choices, like Januarius, the Allied Pacific Islands, Greenland…"

"Ok ok! So when will you be leaving?" Kira asked.

"Maybe next week? I'll be on leave from the day after." Out of the corner of his eye, Athrun spotted two of his co-workers who were punching the air in delight. Surely they had received the news that Commander Zala would be on vacation for quite a period of time.

"Remember the presents!" Kira winked at Athrun. "One for me, one for Lacus and one each for my little boy and girl! And don't forget the children at the orphanage! That adds up to about…forty? That will give you some extra to spare just in case you forget somebody!" he smiled smugly.

"All right I get it!" Athrun gave a sigh. "And Kira?" his voice softened. When he was sure he got the attention of the brunette, he said: "If Cagalli sends anything back, contact me ok?"

Kira looked at Athrun and a slightly melancholic smile crossed his face. "I will."

* * *

Great weather, beautiful sights, tasty food and aromatic coffees. This was what Italia was about and what Athrun favoured as a holiday destination. The only thing he wasn't asking for was the people. Hordes of people gathered on the extensively decorated streets, most of them wearing fanciful Venetian masks. The Carnival of Venice held annually during Mardi Gras was at its highlight tonight. Athrun would have preferred to watch the view from his hotel room, thus avoiding the partying crowds, but enthusiastic and eager hotel employees had told him so much about the festival and how he was in Italia at the right time and how they wished they could have joined in the celebrations that he felt bad for just staying in his hotel room tonight. He half-regretted it when he noticed the sea of people in the main streets of Venice and wanted to make a turn back into the hotel, pretending to be sick or something. However, he persuaded himself to stay and look. It is not everyday you get to join the Carnival of Venice, a traditional festival that had been around for centuries.

Athrun walked along the streets filled with people dressed in exaggerated costumes and masks. Those that weren't dressed to the occasion were laughing and dancing too. Most of the shops were closed, except bars, eateries and shops selling masks and costumes. Crowds may not be on the top of his favourite list, but this was a whole new experience altogether. He walked along the streets, glancing at the different costumes and taking in the festive mood. Soon he found himself in the famed _Piazza de Angel_ or the Square of Angels.

The Square of Angels was one of the places highly recommended by travel guides and hotel employees alike. It is a "must-see", although it is nothing more than an empty space void of any structures other than lamps and the shop houses surrounding it. Most festival celebrations were held at the square, the most prolific one being the Carnival of Venice on Mardi Gras. Even though it is just an "empty space", it was never truly empty, for it was always filled with people. In the day, travellers and shoppers fill the square, while at night party-goers claim the area as their party ground.

The Square of Angels, Athrun thought, was a beautiful name. However, the history behind its name was less than pretty. From the ancient times till the present Cosmic Era, countless battles had been fought among these grounds. Although it had always remained in Italia's territory, blood of both their soldiers and of the enemies stained the grounds of the square. The Italian people mourned the deaths of their brave soldiers and blessed the place, hoping they would become angels after their death. The square was empty only when Italia was immersed in war. It was untouched during the second war but was destroyed in the first war. Seeing the successful rebuilding of the place and life returning to it was a solace for Athrun. ZAFT troops played a role in its destruction and nothing would make him gladder than having it turning into a prominent landmark for peace.

Probably the largest attraction of the Square of Angels was the legend surrounding it. Since the ancient times, the _piazza_ had been a place of congregation and many legends were born out of it. The most famous one was that if two lovers were separated and could not find each other in the square again, they are destined to break up. If they find each other again, they are destined to be together forever. Nobody has verified nor rebutted the claim but it continued to be a source of the hordes of people flocking towards the famed attraction.

Athrun was slightly amused when he heard of the legend. Not only do most of the travellers believe in it, even the locals believe in it too. He was more of a rational person, being in the military for so long and brushed it off as mere romanticism. However, he could not stop himself from dreaming about meeting Cagalli through pure coincidence in the square. He did not know how badly he wished the legend would come true on him, just that he wished he would be the recipient of the miracle.

Athrun stopped to watch a group of people dressed like tri-angels and dancing in a circle. All the fun and laughter they were having were contagious and managed to put a smile on his face, only that it was not as filled with happiness as theirs for he wished there was this one person who could share the moment with him.

_"Cagalli…"_ Athrun thought, turning his attention towards the night sky. _"Where are you?"_

* * *

Crowds. Laughter. Smiles. Life. Put them in an equation and add them all up together and you will get the Carnival of Venice, which at the same time, was the answer on what makes Cagalli happy. She smiled as she walked along the streets of Venice, taking in all the love and happiness around her. The Carnival of Venice is just like living proof of the peaceful world now as politicians and civilians alike strive to end all hostility and bloodshed that had plagues the two different types of human beings in the world. Everyone in the world has the prerogative to smile and laugh like that and not allow war to wipe that away from their faces.

Cagalli had always wanted to join in the Carnival of Venice. Surprisingly, in her two years of travels, this was the first time she had stepped upon Italian soil as a vacationer. And for a very good reason too. Her surprise resignation from office and sudden departure shocked the world and reporters and tabloids were hot on her heels, all trying to be the first to report on the whereabouts of the missing Orb Princess. However, she had concealed her tracks well. Plus some political pressure from the Orb government and some intellect which sent them on wild goose chases ensured she would not be found until she wanted to. She flew anywhere as and when she liked it, even if it meant travelling to the other end of the earth, or on a shuttle to space and back, then to space again. Cagalli also made extra sure she did not leave any traces behind besides the gifts and postcards that would reach Kira at a certain date because she knew Athrun was looking for her. She knew he would be searching for her like a madman everywhere. Coupled with his sharp senses, if she wasn't careful enough, she would be found pretty quickly. Cagalli didn't know how to and could fathom the thought of facing him. Meeting him prematurely might just damage the relationship already damaged by her sudden departure after that night. However, she always kept Athrun's jacket with her. She didn't send him anything not pass him any messages, but after two long years, she still couldn't forget him, just like she could not forget him after the second war. At times, she wanted to slap herself silly for being such an idiot. She had to make two big detours finally to realise she still loved him. She always did.

Cagalli didn't know how long she would continue her travels for. She travelled everywhere, seeing and trying everything. Probably it would come to the end when she would find an answer to a non-existent question she held within her.

Cagalli glanced around at the beautifully-dressed people around her. She, in contrast, was clad in only a white dress and sandals. When giving a reason to a disappointed café owner she had become quite close to, she said:

"It is so that I can observe the beauty in my perspective."

Cagalli walked along, stopping momentarily to stare at a group of people dressed like tri-angels and dancing happily. She watched them with a smile before walking away again. Observing the crowds, she remembered the tale the café owner had told her.

"_Piazza de Angel_ is the most romantic place in the world!" He said proudly in his thick Italian accent. "From the past, the _piazza_ is the place for lovers. If they were to get lost in the square and found each other again, they are destined by God to be together forever! You might not believe me but I met my wife at the _piazza_!"

Cagalli smiled at the memory. The owner's bright smiling face was deeply etched in her mind. The legend of the Square of Angels did not matter to them. The place is a special place for them, and that is the most important thing. If such a thing would happen to her right here in Venice, she would, without hesitation…

Cagalli shook her head vigorously. _"No, it is not going to happen. This sort of thing…doesn't happen…doesn't happen…to me…"_

* * *

Athrun didn't know how long he had been walking for; he just walked and walked without feeling tired at all. After all he is a Coordinator and was blessed with great stamina. He could feel anticipation in the air and took a glance at his watch. 11.59pm. It was almost time for the highlight of the Carnival of Venice, the fireworks.

The Carnival of Venice boasts one of the most spectacular fireworks in the world and this year it is especially extravagant. Fireworks masters from all around the world have been invited to create and stage a vibrant fireworks show no one will ever forget. _"Just as well that I am here."_ Athrun thought.

A large screen on a building lit up suddenly and urged everyone to count down together. Cheers from the crowd erupted as they chanted to the numbers on the screen.

"20! 19! 18! 17!" The partying people screamed in anticipation. Everyone had stopped where they are in order to catch the big show. Athrun too, had stopped in his tracks and despite himself, was eagerly waiting for the clock to strike zero.

* * *

"15! 14! 13! 12!" The people around Cagalli chanted. The excitement had passed on to her and she could her heart thumping. To her, it felt great to be just like a normal person, enjoying parades, parties and festivals and be excited over the small things in life. In fact, when she was still in Orb, she could see fireworks every New Year from her office. However this was different. She was in the midst of people, and was one of them. A smile broke across her features as she waited for the all-important moment.

* * *

"8! 7! 6!" Time was chipping away second by second. As it did, excitement in the crowd grew. The chants became louder and louder as the numbers got progressively smaller.

"3! 2! 1!" Loud cheers erupted across the Square of Angels as a large boom sounded. Athrun looked up to the dark night sky which was now illuminated by the most brilliant fireworks he had ever seen. The night sky was the canvas and the fireworks were the paint being skilfully spread across it. The sky was turned into a piece of art. People cheered amidst the loud firing sounds emitted. Athrun didn't regret coming down all the way to the Square just for this. Even if the life span of this particular art piece is short, it will stay etched in his mind forever.

A last loud boom and the entire sky were filled with light once again. With this, it marked the end of the Carnival of Venice. Even so, the partying mood of the people did not seem to be dampened at all. In fact, it was as if the fireworks had heightened it to a whole new level.

_"I guess it's time for me to go now."_ Athrun thought. He was glad he came down to the Square of Angels, but would rather shun away from the wild crowd. He had seen what he had come to see. To him, it was mission accomplished. As he turned away, he lifted his eyes to what was in front of him. At that moment, he forgot how to breathe.

* * *

Cagalli looked up at the sky with her wide amber eyes, bedazzled by the images that were reflected onto them. It was as if someone had splashed the Milky Way with paint and brought it to Earth. Gold, silver, red, blue, green. She let every single colour touch and warm up her heart.

Cagalli was a bit disappointed when the fireworks had ended but made mental note to visit Italia again. The Carnival of Venice was enough reason to return. The party would go on for the whole night but it was enough for Cagalli. She turned, and saw something she never expected to see.

* * *

There they were, standing right in front of each other in _Piazza de Angel_, staring at each other in pure astonishment. Both of them thought their eyes were playing cruel tricks on them, to the point that it made their imaginations become part of reality.

"Athrun…" "Cagalli…" Both of them let out at the same time after a long pause.

At that very moment, both of them were very sure the person in front of them was not just a figment of their imaginations, but reality. The person they had been dreaming of the entire time was right there.

Those bright amber eyes and the beautiful blond hair that framed her face, it was her all right. Athrun could feel overwhelming happiness arise from the initial shock of seeing her. He had remembered how to breathe again and it was coming back to him in deep but rapid breaths. He never thought it was possible. He never thought he could make a miracle come true.

He had found her.

Cagalli couldn't believe she was staring into those deep emerald eyes again. For two years, she had been avoided being found by anyone. But out of pure coincidence, they had met again, in the Square of Angels no less. The masculine scent she couldn't forget began overflowing from her memory once more. Suddenly at that moment, she didn't feel like going anywhere anymore. The ends of her pink lips curved up slowly as a smile crossed her face.

Athrun saw the smile he missed these two years. A smile crossed his features too. He knew what she was thinking and was thinking the exact same thing.

_And if she returns in kind, I'll know she's mine…_

Two years. For two whole years, they had been playing the game of hide and seek, running and chasing after each other. They had taken a big detour, a detour around the world. Losing and being separated from each other, only to find the person in their hearts once more in the Square of Angels. It was no coincidence, neither was it pure luck. It was fate, it was their destiny.

They were destined to be together.

He should have known. He should have known it from the beginning. Cagalli was the one destined for him. No matter how many times she leaves, she would come back to be with him in the end. No, he was never going to let her leave again. He, Athrun Zala, was never going to let her go again. She is his and is his alone, and will always be.

Athrun gave into his urge to hold Cagalli in his hands again and bounded towards her, only to meet her midway. Cagalli too, had finally realised it. They embraced each other tightly, giving into their pent-up emotions from two years of wasted time. A miracle was born between them. They had separated and found each other in the Square of Angels. It didn't matter if the legend was true or false, to them, the magic had worked for them.

It was the magic called destiny.

* * *

**Endnotes:**

1. In this fic, Venice is a main part of Italy and is not a city made out of islands but that of land. Which is to say, gondolas would not exist unfortunately. Venice in this fic is not a City of Water.

2. I do not know any Italian, nor do I know anyone who knows it. Therefore, _Piazza de Angel_ may be totally wrong in fact. All I did was to have an online translation. Anyone who knows Italian is welcome to translate it for me and I will gladly change it!

3. _Piazza de Angel_ is just a huge empty space void of any distinguishable structures. This is so that there will be no landmarks that will make it easier for the legend to come true. _Piazza de Angel_ is sort of modelled after _Piazza Navona_.

4. The Carnival of Venice is supposed to last for 2 weeks but in this fic, it is only for 1-2 days.

5. For the Tri-Angel part, Athrun and Cagalli did not see each other. For eg, if Athrun was in front of the group, Cagalli was behind them. If Athrun was to the left of the group, Cagalli was to the right. Both of them walked off in different directions. They did not see each other as there were too many people between them.

* * *

Credits:

The song used in this fic is Heaven Knows by Rick Price.

* * *

Author's note: I hope everyone enjoyed the fic. I have really put lots of effort into it. If there are errors, please do not mind. I tend to miss out errors because I, as the author, know what is going on and just glance through the fic.

Please read and review!


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